KwaZulu-Natal - Slain businessman Nhlanhla Gasa’s body, wrapped in a blood- soaked duvet, was thrown off the John Ross Bridge in Tugela. A witness told police he saw the man driving Gasa’s Jaguar casually throw the body away, the legs dangling briefly before disappearing from sight.
Police, who are withholding the name of the witness, say they are on the lookout for a 25-year-old suspect, who they also believe burnt Gasa’s car which was found in Stanger.
Gasa was stabbed multiple times in his luxury Umhlanga home two weeks ago. Police found a bloody trail leading them to believe he was murdered in the house before his body was bundled into his car.
The suspect from Thembeni, in the Groutville area, went to visit friends driving a Jaguar last Tuesday, hours after Gasa was murdered.
“The man told his friends he needed assistance. He alleged that he needed to be picked up from Darnall because he had to drop off his uncle’s Jaguar,” said the police source.
One of them jumped into the Jaguar with the suspect heading for Mandeni while another followed in a car.
“En route the Jaguar stopped on the John Ross Bridge. The friend who was following the suspect… drove off to wait at the nearest garage.”
Later, the suspect driving the Jaguar met up with him at the garage. “The suspect’s passenger in the Jaguar informed the friend in the other vehicle that the reason they stopped at the bridge was because the suspect dropped a figure into the river.”
He said he could not tell who the person was, “because it was covered with a bloodied duvet but the legs were exposed”, said the source.
The two men in the company of the suspect allegedly panicked and took off.
“During the course of the day (Tuesday) we recovered the Jaguar that was burnt out in the Stanger area and later discovered that it belonged to the deceased, Mr Gasa.”
The policeman said Gasa knew his killers.
“The deceased welcomed someone he knew into his home or the assailant came with someone Gasa knew.”
SAPS spokesperson Vincent Mdunge urged anyone with information to come forward.
Sunday Tribune